Kelly Mullen: 'I wanted to try a genre that would sustain my interest'
BY Maya Fernandes
15th Apr 2025
Kelly Mullen was a student on our three-month online Writing Your Novel course in 2021 and our Finish Your Novel – Eight Months course in 2022. We caught up to discuss her debut novel, This Is Not a Game – out now from Century Publishing.
Read on to discover the inspiration behind Kelly's witty murder mystery, how her background in film production has an influence on her writing process, and the crime authors she most admires.
Kelly, you studied on our three-month online Writing Your Novel course in 2021 and our Finish Your Novel – Eight Months course in 2022. How did studying with us impact your approach to writing?
I say this with no exaggeration: taking courses with CBC changed my life. The idea of writing a novel had always interested me, but I never tried it because I had always been so focused on my career. Then the pandemic happened, and the lockdowns gave me the mental quietude to consider what else I wanted to do with my life. Signing up for that first course put me on this path, and I’m truly so appreciative of CBC. There were deadlines, which I needed, but it was also low pressure and fun. I was really impressed with the quality of instructors, too. Vaseem Khan and Simon Ings, in particular, really helped me find my voice.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met during the courses you took?
Absolutely. I am still in touch with about ten people. Everyone has been so kind and supportive. I went to Chiltern Kills with one of my friends from CBC, and I look forward to meeting up with several others at more festivals this year.
Your debut novel, This Is Not a Game, was inspired by a two-week stay at your grandmother’s house in 2021. Could you share a bit more about how that experience influenced the story?
My grandmother fell and broke her ankle during the pandemic, so I volunteered to stay with her for two weeks. At one point during my visit, the power went out. She was completely calm about it, but I had a bit of a panic attack. I had just finished reading Ruman Alam’s brilliant Leave The World Behind, and here I am in the middle of nowhere with my injured grandmother, with no air conditioning in 100-degree heat, in the midst of a global pandemic. I started imagining different scenarios of what could happen. That’s when the idea started to percolate… If we had to survive something high stakes together, it would have been absolutely shambolic and hilarious. I developed the characters from there. I honed in on a murder mystery because whodunits are my favourite, and I wanted to try a genre that would sustain my interest.
How did you choose the setting?
I wanted a place that was charming yet claustrophobic. Mackinac Island instantly popped into my head, since it doesn’t allow cars and basically shuts down for half the year. Once it came to me, I never wavered. It always felt right.
Mimi and Addie make for such an unexpected pairing. What do you think their dynamic adds to the story?
The intergenerational family dynamic adds an extra layer to the investigation. There’s conflict there for sure, but also deep love. When Addie and Mimi debate about a clue or suspect, their differing worldviews come through, and that was fun to write.
As a former film producer, do you find that your background in film and storytelling affects your writing process?
Very much so. Reading thousands of screenplays as a producer was my story training. Many novelists don’t like to write dialogue, but I love it because film storytelling is so dialogue-based. Often when I am sketching out a scene, I write only the dialogue.
Are there any crime authors who have particularly inspired you or whose work you admire?
Agatha Christie, no question. She’s the queen. But I love so many others from the Golden Age, especially authors who sprinkled humour into their writing, like Richard Hull. Contemporary authors have had a big effect on me too. In particular, I love Anthony Horowitz. His writing style is just so seamless and pure.
If you could step into the shoes of any fictional character from a crime novel, who would you choose and why?
Nancy Drew. Just mentioning her name makes me want to bust out my magnifying glass! Her exploratory adventures shaped my childhood. I also think her impact on culture has been underappreciated. Lots of girls looked up to her because she was a female protagonist who actually did things. Those books definitely pass the Bechdel Test!
And finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I don’t think I am allowed to say much yet, but some things are definitely in the works!
Get your hands on a copy of This Is Not a Game.
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